Craig City Council asked to require gun ownership

CRAIG, Colo.—The Craig City Council is pondering a citizen's request to require heads of households to have a modern sporting rifle capable of accepting high-capacity magazines.

Craig resident Craig Rummel proposed the idea at Tuesday night's council meeting, acknowledging that he intended it mainly to send a message that new laws and regulations are hurting the northwestern Colorado community's economy.

According to the Craig Daily Press ( http://tinyurl.com/cemfqj3), Rummel said coal, power and hunting are the area's life-blood and all three are under attack by lawmakers.

"For too long, the (Colorado) Legislature has been hammering us, and they're destroying our economy. Our voices are not being heard, but if we pass an ordinance, it will go viral, and then they'll be forced to listen to us," he said.

Rummel said trips by county leaders to talk to lawmakers have been ignored, including their opposition to a measure that would increase renewable energy mandates on rural electricity cooperatives from 10 percent to 25 percent by 2020.

Council members questioned how such a law would be enforced, but they didn't reject the suggestion outright.

Gov. John Hickenlooper has signed several divisive gun measures into law, including expanded background checks and an ammunition magazine limit.

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Rummel's proposal includes exemptions for those not physically or mentally capable of operating a firearm, those financially unable to afford buying a firearm, people convicted of felony and residents who oppose owning a firearm for religious or other personal reasons.

Council member Ray Beck questioned why the same message couldn't be sent in the form of a resolution, which is more of a statement of belief than an enforceable law.

Craig Mayor Terry Carwile postponed a decision, but left the door open to further action.

"There is enough support up here of what you are saying, and I think there's room for you to convince us," he said.